Device for increasing the speed of ships



. McDONALD.

Patented July 3, 1883.

DEVICE FOR INCREASING THE SPEED OF SHIPS, &c. No. 280,646.

(No Model.)

lllll mmmmmmw WITNESSES:

N. PETERS. PIlOlO-Dlhb grflpheh Washinglfln. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M. CHARLES MCDONALD, OF MINERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR INCREASING THE SPEED OF SHIPS, 84C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,646, dated July 3, 1883.

Application filed January 29, 1883. (No model.)

, To all whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that I, M. CHARLES MCDON- ALD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Minersville, in the county of Schuylkill,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Increasing the Speed of Ships, Boats, and Similar Vessels,which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accom- [o panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device for increasing the speed of vessels embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front view thereof. Fig. at is I 5 a vertical section, enlarged, in line :0 00, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of means, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the frictional resistance of water 'on a ship, &c., is decreased and the speed of the same correspondingly increased.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the hull of a ship. (Shown in dotted lines.) On each side of the hull at the draft-water line are secured rollers B, which are mounted vertically at or about at a right angle to the plane of the water, and arranged from a point at the rear of the bow to a point in front of the stern, where the resistance of the water on the hull ceases, it however being evident that the rollers may extend a greater or less distance than that shown.

0 represents anendless belt whichis passed freely around the series of rollers B,,so as to move thereon by frictional contact with the water when the ship is in motion. It will be seen that as the belt receives the thrust of the water and yields, owing to its capability to move around the rollers, it relieves the ship of the belt from the rollers B, the upper and lower ends of said rollers are flanged, or otherwise provided with guards to hold the-belt in position, and the rollers may be made in sections,'andthereby possess the greatest freedom of rotary motions. Furthermore, therollers may be mounted on axes. which conform to the curvature of the sides of the hull, and increased or decreased in length and diameter according to requirements.

In order to prevent abrupt action of the water on the belt and rollers at their places of beginning, I secure to the hull, in front of the belt, guards D D, which accord with the contour of the hull at their place of connection therewith, and project therefrom in such manner that the belt forms in a measure continuations of the guards, the speed of the ship thus not being retarded by the angles presented at the front end of the belts.

If desired, guards D D may be secured to the hull at the rear of the belts for preventing abrupt action of the water on the hull at the places of termination of the belts.

The rollers may be secured to the hull in various ways, either during the building of the ship or after the same is completed, and, if desired, power may be applied to the rollers or belts, or both, as auxiliary to the action of the water, and positively causing the motion of the belts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Traveling endless belts, in combination with supporting-rollers secured to the sides of I a ships hull, said belts being operated by the action of the water when the ship is in motion, substantially as described.

2. The rollers B B, secured to the sides of a ships hull, in combination with the belts G, the rollers B being interposed between the belts and hull, substantially as set forth.

,3. Endless traveling belts, and supports therefor, secured to the sides of a ships hull, in combination with the guards D, substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

. M. CHAS. MCDONALD.

WVitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, A. 1?. GRANT. 

